The autumn leaves are falling like rain. Although my neighbors are all barbarians and you, you are a thousand miles away, there are always two cups at my table.

T’ang Dynasty poem

Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter. If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life.

~ Wu-men ~

Friday, October 02, 2015

Siddartha, the Story Continues ...

One of the best know and loved novels by the author Herman Hesse is is book, Siddartha.

Siddartha is a novel about a spiritual seeker. He is the highly talented son of a Bhramin and contemporary of the Buddha who turns his back on the high status privileged life his caste affords and seeks his own way.

His way eventually ends up at a ferry where he shuttles travelers back and forth across a river.

For a short time he has with him his son, also named Siddartha, who in turn rebels against him; leaving the ferry for a privileged life in a nearby town.Scott Meredith has recently published a book named Nagendra. Scott is known as a martial arts teacher and his books are written in an informal and humorous tone. This book is a major departure for Scott.It's a different genre and style.

Nagendra is a serious novel. It can be thought of as a sequel to Siddartha. In it, the young Siddartha stays with his farther for some years but becomes intrigued by the apparent power and wealth of some of the travelers he meets. He changes his name to Nagendra and runs away to seek his own life; just as his father did before him.

Nagenda is written is the same lyrical style as Siddartha, but it doesn't come off as imitative at all; it flows very naturally. It's a short book and could probably be read in a day, but I found myself slowing down to savor the language.

What young man doesn't want to learn to fight; to become powerful through his fists? Nagendra learns to fight, to acquire wealth, about love, death, sex and revenge.

I saw in Nagendra's travels many of the journeys young men take as they move through the stages of life.

2 comments:

That Nagendra title is a very well written book. It is enjoyable and holds up to being read multiple times. Getting a copy is well worth it.

It's author, Meredith, is not famous in realm of fiction as others. Notwithstanding, the author his a very polished storyteller. He wrote another fiction book about a ghost cat which seems like an antipodal point to Nagendra as that ghost creature book is full of comedy and snark. Both those fiction works are highly engaging, yet on very different themes. Meredith has range as an author.

Meredith is known online and elsewhere for his highly unique and, my personal view, potent martial arts instruction books. Those are on 'energy work' and not marital arts fighting per se and have nothing to do with Nagendra as they are teaching guides.

He draws some critics of those teaching titles with their contents but also much earned praise since he presents topics that are not normally explained from a perspective and utility which he does. His books on teaching this 'energy work' based on Tai Chi and other methods are worded in a much more different, a no bullshit, tone then the fictional works. If you read most or all of his works sold in print you will find, and come to admire I think, that his insignia and voice is found throughout each vastly different work. The subjects are different as are the deliveries but it is always him in a true and honest sense. He seems to a reader to be a polymath in that regard.

His martial arts books will be read for decades to come if not much. much longer. They appeal to those outside his own Tai Chi style's sect and that helps greatly. His Nagendra title might hopefully enjoy a fanbase and longevity too as it is a page turner.

No matter about the martial arts guide books, read Meredith's Nagendra since it stands on it's own as a fantastic work. I hope there are more fiction titles Meredith in the years to come. He seems dedicated to keep producing original martial arts guides for certain and here is wishing for more quality fiction from the man as well.